Episode 125: The Sound of Snow
As the Harvest Festival ended, the sound of winter’s footsteps could be heard.
The cold gradually intensified, and the well water became more than just “chilly.”
The townspeople were working busily to make it through the winter as comfortably as possible. Like worker ants.
…The winters around here are very cold, and it snows.
There’s no such thing as getting vegetables anytime thanks to greenhouse cultivation, importing frozen meat from overseas, or the government stockpiling rice.
Even the relatively wealthy people in town could die of hunger or cold if they weren’t careful, so everyone wanted to gather as much wheat and firewood as possible.
This isn’t a world where you can live comfortably on unearned income, really.
Because their lives are at stake, everyone works hard. There’s almost no welfare in this society; when you can’t earn anymore, it’s time to die.
That’s why everyone is preparing for winter.
…I watched them out of the corner of my eye, drinking warm cocoa in a heated room, taking a break.
“Andrews-sama, I’ve put the leftover stew in the refrigerator.”
“Mm, thanks.”
Haa… well, things have been tough lately.
Everyone’s so busy with work that they don’t bother with me, so lately all I’ve been doing is making Preserved Food…
I was disappointed when I saw the rock-hard dried meat in this world that was inedible, so my job lately has been developing something like Earth’s jerky.
My job as a doctor? Well, everyone’s starting to catch colds anyway, so I just need to sell cough medicine and fever reducers.
Everyone doesn’t bother with a diagnosis. They take medicine based on their own judgment.
I guess that’s one of the reasons why I can be a doctor at my own pace.
Well, as a doctor, I really want people to stop doing American-style self-medication… but unfortunately, I can’t help people who don’t pay.
If they come for a proper examination, I’ll help as much as possible. That’s my pride? Professional ethics? …No, I fulfill my obligations.
But if they don’t get a diagnosis because they can’t or don’t want to pay the examination fee, then I don’t care. That’s my stance.
“Well… I guess it’s about time to go.”
“This way, Andrews-sama.”
“Mm, thanks. I’m off.”
“Yes, have a good day.”
And… now.
I finished my break, gathered the edible parts of the failed jerky, and packed them in a box.
I tied it with a string.
They should be here soon…
“Doctor! Doctor!”
Oh… they’re right on time.
“Yo, Val, Mii. Take this.”
It’s the Slums kids.
Maybe it’s because winter’s coming, but the kids are wearing about three layers of big people’s coats, making them look puffy.
“Yes! With this, fewer people will starve to death this winter!”
“That’s right, Val!”
I gave the two children the box of failed jerky and failed ham.
It seems they have some underlings, about ten kids in dirty clothes gathered around.
They carried the box and disappeared into the back alleys…
“Hey! Take the meat you got from the doctor to the ‘Split-Mouth’ old man! I’ll kill anyone who skims off the top!”
Saying that, Val also left with the box.
“Val, you have to say thank you.”
“Ah… thank you, Doctor!”
“Yeah, do your best.”
Watching the Slums kids leave… I wrapped the finished jerky in oil paper, packed it in a nice wooden box, wrapped it in a cloth, and carried it on my back…
That’s right, I’m going to meet the Slums boss, Hookclaw.
The Slums.
As I said before, this is a remnant of when the town of Midford was at the forefront of development. The northern fortresses were repaired, expanded, and used as the Slums of this town.
Its appearance is exactly like the Kowloon Walled City of old.
In buildings like Jenga that have become illegal architectural chimeras, wanted criminals, orphans, and the poor are crammed together…
“Hey there, One-Leg.”
“Oh, if it isn’t the doctor. Good day to you.”
The gatekeeper is a man called One-Leg.
This man, who seems to be a subordinate of Hookclaw, had a wooden prosthetic leg.
“Is Hookclaw in?”
“He’s always here, and he’s free today.”
“I see, then I’ll go see him. I want to talk about winter.”
“Ah… because of the epidemic?”
“Well, I’ll treat the Slums people if they pay, but the townspeople are different…”
“The townspeople get angry when the Slums people see a doctor, saying, ‘How dare the Slums people see a doctor!'”
“Yeah, that’s right. It’s terrible, even though they’re all human…”
“Hah? Hahahaha! That’s right, that’s right, they’re all human! Hahahahaha!”
…Ah, troublesome.
The difference in values always comes up.
They’re human, the Slums kids and the noble old men are no different.
If you cut them open, they’re all pretty much the same! (A doctor’s impression)